A Preview of New Features in 3.1

We are sorry for the delay in releasing version 3.1. The new object staging and incremental updates required much more time than we originally expected. Right now, we're testing version 3.1 and we plan to release it at the beginning of May 2008. In the meantime, I'd like to give you a small preview of what you can expect from the new version.

Object Staging

The most exciting feature is the new object staging support. You may know that Kentico CMS already has the Content staging module that allows you to synchronize content changes between staging (development/testing) server and live server. The new version will allow you to synchronize also objects, such as page templates, CSS styles, document types and others.

Until now, when you wanted to make changes to an existing web site, you had to test them locally first and then re-do on the live server manually. With object staging, you can simply synchronize all changes on a few clicks.

How it works

When you modify for example a page template, the action is logged. Then, you can simply approve choosen actions and choose to synchronize them to the live server. The staging (development) server connects the live server through a secured web service and tells it what should be updated. So if you deploy a new site for your client and the client decides to change the home page layout, you can comfortably make the changes on your local server, test them and then synchronize the updates to the live server.

Incremental Updates

If you cannot use object staging, you still get a similar functionality. The new version will come with improved import/export dialog that will allow you to export only changes you made to the web site since the last export or since chosen date. It means you can create an incremental export package on your development server and import it on the live server.

Private Messaging

The new Private Messaging module enables site members to send private messages to other members. The module features inbox/outbox, user blocking, contact list and e-mail notification.

Improved E-commerce Module And a New Sample Site

We've made many improvements to the E-commerce module. The most significant one is the support for product options. You can easily define your own options, such as t-shirt colors or computer memory sizes, and specify a different price for each option. The new version will also come with an E-commerce starter site that can be easily customized with your design and product types.

Kentico CMS Template for .NET User Groups

We have just released a new community web site template built with Kentico CMS 3.0 that can be easily deployed as a web site for .NET User Groups or similar groups.

If you do not plan to use this template for a user group, but you're planning to build a community site with Kentico CMS, you can use it as an inspiration for your development and to see what you can do with Kentico CMS. The web site export package can be downloaded for free at http://www.kentico.com/Downloads/DNG/dotnetgroupsite.zip (please note: you still need a Kentico CMS commercial license if you do not use the template for a .NET User Group).

Kentico Supports .NET User Groups

Beside the free web site solution, we sponsor .NET User Groups and code camps by providing free giveaways for their meetings. If you're a member of some .NET User Group, please visit http://www.kentico.com/Partners/-NET-User-Groups.aspx to learn how we can help you.

If you like Kentico CMS, you can also consider giving a short demo to your user group, as Jonathan Schwartz from S2R Technologies recently did at Arizona .NET User Group event that we sponsored. Thank you very much, Jon!

Kentico CMS User's Guide

Many of you required a documentation for end users. We've just finished the guide and you can download it at http://www.kentico.com/DevNet/Documentation.aspx. It's available in Microsoft Word format so that you can easily rebrand it, customize and remove chapters that are not applicable to your web site.

Kentico.DE - New German Site for Kentico CMS Users

Our valued partner in Germany, PCSoft Technologien, has just launched a new site for Kentico community. If you speak German, visit http://www.kentico.de to share your knowledge and talk to other Kentico CMS developers.

Faster Downloads

We have just moved our web site to a new server located in the U.S. which should improve its response time. Since the Kentico CMS setup grows quickly with every new version, the setup file is now served through a high-speed file hosting, so you should get a better experience when downloading the next versions.

Kentico Becomes Microsoft Visual Studio Industry Partner

We have just joined Microsoft partner program for companies building developer products that integrate with Visual Studio. It will give us a better access to the Visual Studio integration resources and new versions of Visual Studio so that Kentico CMS developers can fully leverage the power of Visual Studio IDE.

New Job Forums

As the number of companies using Kentico CMS grows quickly, we are often asked by our clients if we can recommend some developers experienced in Kentico CMS. We have created a new forum at http://www.kentico.com/DevNet/Forums.aspx so that you can post your job openings, search for a job or post your projects.